


The Avatar and The Fire Lord

by solarstar_moonlight



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender, NCT (Band)
Genre: M/M, Mentions of Blood, So if you don't know the show you don't have to worry, There will also be sex, There will be fantasy violence, You Have Been Warned, but nothing too terrible, kinky firebending sex at that, set thousands of years before the original series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-15 12:35:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29189406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarstar_moonlight/pseuds/solarstar_moonlight
Summary: A war is raging throughout the volcanic Fire Islands to establish dominance.  Various warrior clans are determined to prove their superiority through fire and bloodshed, but the endless violence has given birth to the Kemurikage; shadowy spirits who terrorize the warlords and abduct young children.  Only the Avatar, master of all four elements and bridge between man and spirits, can stop this conflict before it spirals completely out of control.OrTaeyong is the Avatar, Yuta is the Fire Lord. They need to work together to find a way to un-fuck this situation.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Wong Kun Hang | Hendery, Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Lee Taeyong/Nakamoto Yuta, Lee Taeyong/Nakamoto Yuta/Suh Youngho | Johnny, Nakamoto Yuta/Suh Youngho | Johnny
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13





	1. Prologue

SEI’NAKA CLAN VILLAGE, FIRE ISLANDS

Jaejoong’s insides were swirling with mixed emotions. He’d read scrolls about the days of old, when mankind lived safely on the backs of giant Lion-Turtles while spirits inhabited the wilds across the world; honestly, he wished he’d been born back then, instead of having to deal with the literal hellscape he was currently navigating.

After mankind had left the safety of the Lion-Turtles, they spread out across the world, establishing communities based on the element with which they were affiliated. In the east, the Earthen States constantly battled each other for dominance of their continent, while in the north and south poles, various tribes had banded together to form unions to survive the harsh environments. Those gifted with the element of air traveled all over the world as nomads, but Jaejoong belonged to what was perhaps the most aggressive and turbulent society of all; the Fire Islands.

The long string of volcanic islands had been inhabited for around 150 years, with each island controlled by a different clan. Jaejoong himself belonged to the Sei’naka Clan; a group of skilled warriors from a tiny island on the fringe of the archipelago. He hadn’t actually been home in some time, but a messenger hawk had reached him while he’d been fighting a battle against a rival clan on another island. It carried with it a letter that completely realigned his priorities…

His son had been born.

The moment the letter arrived he’d thrown down his sword, climbed atop his dragon, a mighty beast named Kojin, and flew off toward his home island… unfortunately, the moment he’d touched down in his village, he was surrounded by the Fire Sages; spiritual leaders who had been trying and failing for a century to quell the turmoil in the Fire Islands and appease the violent spirits that had been awakened by the bloodshed. Their white robes draped the ground with every step, while their pointed hats reached to the skies above.

“You are Jaejoong yes? Lieutenant in the army of Lord Yunho?” the head of the sages, known as the Fire Lord, spoke. His robes were more elaborate than the others; trimmed in gold in various places with intricate embroidered designs. Jaejoong simply nodded, allowing the Fire Lord to continue, “I’m not sure if you’ve heard by now, but The Avatar has recently died,”

Jaejoong actually hadn’t heard; he’d been so busy fighting the Saowon Clan that he’d been blissfully unaware of most of the ongoings of the outside world. He was of course, aware of who The Avatar was; the most important person in the world, master of all four elements and bridge between mankind and the spirits.

The first Avatar arrived on the scene about 375 years ago; a man named Wan. Once he died, it wasn’t immediately clear if there’d ever be another, but surely enough the next Avatar indeed appeared among the Air Nomads. After that, the Confederation of Southern Water Tribes gave birth to their own Avatar, and most recently, 80 years ago or so, the Earthen States produced the renowned Avatar Sunmi. 

“And what does that have to do with me?” Jaejoong rose a curious eyebrow, making eye contact with the Fire Lord that would’ve been considered insulting if the other man had any actual power over anyone.

“The other Sages and I believed that we had discovered the pattern of the Avatar’s reincarnation cycle,” the Fire Lord began as he and Jaejoong walked through the village with the other sages at their back, “it seems to mirror the order in which Avatar Wan first learned the elements; fire, air, water and then earth. With the death of Sunmi, we believed the cycle would start anew here in the Fire Islands,”

“Please,” Jaejoong interrupted, “get to the point,”

The Fire Lord exhaled sharply, a short tuft of flame accompanying it. Jaejoong assumed it was meant to be an attempt at intimidation, to establish dominance in the exchange, but it was a moot point; the Fire Lord knew just as well as Jaejoong did that he had no true authority, and a display of mid-tier Firebending wasn’t going to pressure a seasoned warrior into respecting him.

“The point is,” the Fire Lord paused, likely for dramatic effect, “the new Avatar appears to be your son,”

Jaejoong stopped in his tracks, his eyes wide at the prospect of what he was hearing. If what the Fire Lord was saying was indeed true, this could be the ultimate game changer for the Sei’naka Clan…

“Take me to him, _now,_ ”


	2. Twenty Years Later

TEMPLE OF THE SAGES, CRESCENT ISLAND

The sun sat high above Crescent Island as Taeyong basked in its glow, feeling the way it made his inner fire swell. As a Firebender, the sun’s rays enhanced his natural abilities the way nothing else could. He often would come to the highest elevation on the island so that he could absorb more sunlight to fuel his already considerable Firebending. There were few moments of peace like this left; the Fire Islands had descended into a full-blown war about 4 years earlier, all beginning on the day when Taeyong was revealed to be The Avatar.

Up until that point, Taeyong hadn’t been treated much differently from other members of the Sei’naka Clan. He was expected to master Firebending and sword combat at a young age, like the others in his clan. Their home of Kamigata Island was so small and lacking in resources that the Sei’naka Clan couldn’t fall back on fortunes amassed through trade or harvest; all they had was their skill. However, the moment the Fire Sages announced that he was The Avatar, everything changed.

Everyone had heard of The Avatar; some spoke of them in hushed whispers around campfires like a scary story, while others exalted them as a messianic savior, destined to heal the world and restore some semblance of balance. Overnight, Taeyong was treated like an entirely different person.

He was immediately forced to step away from the battlefield, after all, the Fire Sages couldn’t risk the all-important Avatar being killed in battle. He was made to live in the Temple of the Sages, in a lavish room specially prepared for him. Since his sixteenth birthday, he’d been spending most of his time refining his skill as a Firebender and studying the cultures of the other societies around the world.

Essentially, he was incredibly lonely and isolated from the world around him; strange for someone who was meant to mend the gaps between cultures. It was a life his father had tried to save him from; apparently he’d struck a deal with the Fire Sages that would allow him to live a normal life until he was sixteen, likely to keep him from being _completely_ socially inept. And yet, there he was; totally alone and overlooking the sparkling blue sea. He was a silent observer when in reality, he should’ve been the single most involved person in the world.

Taeyong was eventually shaken from his thoughts by the sound of someone crunching the volcanic rocks behind him as they approached. He turned around to see one of the younger Fire Sages, Jisung.

“Um, Avatar?” the young man spoke, barely above a whisper.

“Yeah?”

“I am so sorry to bother you, but um… you’re nearly late for the event,”

Shit.

Taeyong was so busy sulking that he’d completely forgotten about the importance of the day. Fire Lord Jin had recently died, and it was time for his son to take his place as the leader of the Fire Sages. Taeyong had met the young man back when he first arrived at the temple; they were the same age, born mere months apart from one another, and despite both of them being heirs to incredible destinies, they’d failed to get along even in the slightest. Regardless of that, Taeyong needed to be present when he officially took his place as the new Fire Lord. As the first Avatar born into the Fire Islands since their settlement, it was his duty to support the spiritual leaders in any way he could.

“I’m so sorry Jisung, I’ll get us back to the temple before it starts,” Taeyong assured him before whistling loudly. A guttural roar sounded off, followed by the sound of massive beating wings. Within seconds, an enormous serpentine dragon with reflective onyx scales descended from where she’d been perched higher on the mountain. She landed gracefully in front of Taeyong and the sage and spread out her wings dramatically. The scales on her wings reflected the sunlight around her, giving the beast a brilliant halo effect, which just added to her majesty.

“That beast never ceases to terrify me,” Jisung said, his eyes wide and his hands trembling.

“I don’t know why, Nebby is a big softie,” Taeyong replied, climbing on the dragon’s back and motioning for Jisung to do the same. Jisung sighed heavily and climbed on, holding onto Taeyong for dear life as the winged beast took flight. Taeyong smiled at the familiar lurching of his stomach as Nebby soared through the sky; covering miles in a matter of seconds. What would’ve been a 45-minute hike up the mountain from the temple took about 3 minutes on Nebby’s back.

The Temple of the Sages was a large pyramid structure, with four tall spires stretching to the sky; each honoring one of the previous Avatars. The building was sculpted from solid gold, a testament to how abundant the resource was in the Fire Islands, but despite its grand and expensive design, it had been neglected in recent years. The various clan leaders had ceased to pay tribute to the Fire Sages, leading to their maintenance staff being whittled down to nothing. Moss and vines grew around the Avatar Spires, while dust and cobwebs completely overtook the parts of the building that weren’t regularly used.

The dragon landed just in front of the building, allowing Taeyong and Jisung to disembark and rush inside. Unfortunately, there was no time for Taeyong to change out of his casual clothing; a tattered, loose-fitting brown shirt and matching pants. Taeyong and the young sage made it to the sanctuary; a blood red, hexagonal room with large stained-glass windows, also depicting the past Avatars. The other Fire Sages were already in position; standing in a line on a raised platform, just waiting for Jisung to join them. The soon-to-be Fire Lord was kneeled in front of the group with his back turned to the entrance. His long black hair was pulled up into a topknot, and he was wearing the fancy embroidered robes that his father once wore.

The room itself was entirely empty save for the ones involved in the ceremony; Taeyong couldn’t shake the feeling that an event such as this demanded a larger crowd.

“Ah, Jisung,” Taeil, the eldest of the sages spoke up, “you and The Avatar finally join us,”

“I apologize for our tardiness, it is my fault,” Taeyong said with a deep bow. Taeil waved his hand dismissively.

“No apology is necessary Avatar,” Taeil responded as Jisung joined the group, “now, without further distraction, we can begin the ceremony,”

Jisung and the sage on the other end of the lineup stretched out their hands and took a deep breath. With a forward punch, they released a small burst of flame that lit the candelabras in front of them. Taeyong bowed his head as Taeil began to speak directly to the spirits.

“Great guardian spirits of the Fire Islands, hear our humble call. Our esteemed leader, Fire Lord Jin of the Nakamoto family, has passed from this world. His leadership and wisdom will not be forgotten, but we cannot look to the past for guidance any longer. We must move forward, and we ask for your blessing as we inaugurate the son of Jin as the new Fire Lord!”

The temple’s foundation shook ever so slightly as a mighty wind blew outside. This could only be interpreted as an auspicious sign from the spirits. Taeil smiled widely as he turned around to pick up the large, pointed white hat that once adorned the head of the previous Fire Lord.

“With the approval of the spirits, I now officially name you, Fire Lord Yuta!”

With the hat now placed on his head, the young man rose to his feet and turned around. Taeyong was instantly floored by his beauty; Yuta had always been pretty, but the delicate roundness of his teenage features had completely melted away since they last time they’d seen each other, replaced now by a striking jawline and prominent cheekbones. Despite the sharpness of his features, he still had the same large expressive eyes that Taeyong was familiar with.

“Thank you Taeil. I’ll do my best to honor my father’s memory, while continuing to lead the Fire Islands into a future of spiritual enlightenment,” Yuta spoke in a melodic voice. Taeyong was impressed; the boy he’d met years earlier was brash, impulsive and somewhat egotistical, but Yuta seemed very different now. Perhaps the pain of losing his father had changed him.

“Congratulations Yuta,” Taeyong said softly as the new Fire Lord approached him, “I’m sure you’ll make a fantastic leader,”

“You and I need to talk,” Yuta said bluntly. Ah, so he hadn’t changed _that_ much, “there is a lot of unpleasant business to attend to,”

Taeyong simply nodded and fell in step with Yuta as he moved through the temple.

“What’s the first thing on the agenda?”

“You need to start learning the other elements. It’s been four years and you haven’t even begun the basics of Airbending,”

“Why does air have to be next? I’d probably have a much easier time Earthbending from everything I’ve read,”

Yuta slapped Taeyong’s shoulder in frustration, causing the latter to recoil; not so much in pain, just in shock at the suddenness of it.

“You have to learn the elements in the order of the Avatar Cycle! You were born with fire, so air has to be next! Not following the cycle could result in spiritual damage, do you really want to be responsible for corrupting the sanctity of the Avatar’s title?!”

Taeyong didn’t know when Yuta had become so concerned with spirituality; he recalled hearing rumors about him having sex with young men from the Nikaido Clan in the very sanctuary they’d just come out of. Perhaps the rumors weren’t true, but Jisung wasn’t known for lying.

“I guess not,”

“You _guess_? Okay, second thing. You need to be more sure of yourself. The Avatar is a position that demands respect. How can people respect someone who doesn’t command it?”

“Okay fine!”

“The most important thing is this war between the clans. The Fire Sages have been trying to put an end to it for decades, but so far we’ve been toothless. That can change with you on our side though. The fighting has given rise to some truly dark and horrifying spirits,” Yuta explained, an unreadable expression etched across his handsome face.

“The Kemurikage,” Taeyong emphasized; he’d read all about them. Shadowy figures that appeared to be cloaked in smoke and darkness. They had been terrorizing clan leaders and abducting small children since the fighting began.

“Precisely. The only way to rid the Fire Islands of them, is to stop the conflict completely. To unite the islands under a singular banner of peace,”

“That sounds like what the Earthen States are going for; a unified Earth Kingdom instead of warring city states,” 

“It’s not a bad Idea,” Yuta confirmed Taeyong’s suspicion, “a united Fire Nation would be vastly superior to independent islands prone to violence and warfare,”

“And who is meant to lead this ‘Fire Nation’ exactly?” Taeyong wondered, “do we give power to the largest clan?”

“Absolutely not. The other clan leaders would never fall in line If we did such a thing,” Yuta waved him off, “power needs to be given to those who would lead the Fire Islands to spiritual purity,”

“So you mean the Fire Sages?”

“No,” Yuta said blankly, “I mean the Fire Lord,”

Taeyong stopped in his tracks, prompting Yuta to do the same.

“So you just want to consolidate power for yourself,” Taeyong scoffed, “I should’ve known,”

Yuta rolled his eyes.

“Listen, you need to see the bigger picture here. This isn’t about getting power for myself. This is about the future of the Fire Islands, and having power under one impartial party is the best way to go. The Avatar can’t be the ruler, since the next one after you will be born into a different culture entirely. The Fire Lord is really our only option here,”

It was only then that Taeyong realized where Yuta had been leading him; a balcony that overlooked the ocean, giving an excellent view of the Fire Islands. In the distance, he could see a battalion Dragon Riders circling Ember Island, blasting the battlefield below them with incinerating torrents of flames; more than any lone Firebender could possibly produce. Taeyong couldn’t see the carnage himself, but he knew that countless men and women were being burned alive, all in the name of their clan’s honor.

Taeyong breathed deeply. He knew Yuta was right, but he still wasn’t so sure about the idea of a single person imposing their will over the entire island chain. Still, the fighting had to end before the threat of the Kemurikage overwhelmed everyone.

“Okay Yuta, I’ll work with you on this,” Taeyong said, but suddenly a more authoritative tone took over his voice, “but if I think, even for a second, that this is just a ploy to gain more power… I’ll end it, and the Fire Sages will be looking for a new leader,”

Taeyong half expected Yuta to be offended by the thinly veiled threat, but his lips curved upwards into a grin instead.

“Now _that’s_ the conviction of a true Avatar,”


End file.
